How to make Clodagh McKenna's chicken soul soup

This is all I want to eat at the moment — it’s warming, nourishing and makes me feel looked after once I’ve had it. I’m actually working on a new cookbook at the moment, Mid-Week Suppers, and this is the first recipe I’ve added.

It’s a spot-on supper at this time of the year and a foolproof recipe that really doesn’t take too much effort. There are lots of things you can add to it: noodles, potatoes, rice, pasta, kale, spinach — whatever you like, really. If you are going to buy stock, I tend to find Kallo is the best from what’s available in the supermarkets, but it is very easy to make chicken stock yourself and you’ll get far more nutrition from it.

If you’ve roasted a chicken during the week or over the weekend, you can use the carcass. Place it, including the wings, into a saucepan and cover with cold water, then add in a chopped carrot, celery, onion, some herbs and any other bits of vegetables that are about to go off – the only thing that you can’t add are vegetables that go starchy in water, like parsnips and potatoes. Bring the pan to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for at least an hour. Then simply drain the liquid into a mixing jug and you’ve got stock.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serve with: Broglia Gavi di Gavi DOCG, £15.99 from Waitrose

1. Place a saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat and add the two tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the onion, celery, leeks and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for five minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

2. Remove the lid and stir in the chicken stock, then increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil.

3. Stir in the shredded chicken, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Just before you serve, stir in the chopped parsley.

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